James h



(No Model.)

J. H. SGHOONMAKER.

LIGHTNING R01).l

Patented June 7 ,nvr/.554114155454 INVENTOR my WITNESSES ATTORN EYS N, PETERS, Phntwlilhogmpher. Wnihmglon, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,JAMES H. SOHOONMAKEE, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA, lASSIGNOE OF TWO- THIRDS TO' HENDERSON D. MORSE AND NATHANIEL O. GAULT, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

LIGHTNING-ROD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,605, dated June?, 1887.

Application filed September 28,1856. Serial No. 214,786. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, J AMEs H. SonooN- MAKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Winona, in the county of Vinona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Rods; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which o it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or ligures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of this invention, and is a side view. Fig. 2 is a det-ail, partly a side view and partly in section. Fig. 3 is also a detail, and shows one of the outside strands. Fig. 4 is 2O a cross section of the lightning-rod, much enclaimed.

larged.

My invention relates to lightning-rods; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter described and Referring by letter to the-accompanying drawings, A designates a section of lightningrod constructed in accordance with my improvements.

B designates the central hollow core of the rod, which I make from a stripof zinc by drawing it through adie. The core B is covered with sheet.-copper C by means of ay die. Zinc and copper are preferable for this pun pose, but any other good conducting ductile 4o ductile metal through a die.

may be used. The small rope thus formed is then covered with copper or other ductile metal, thereby forming the strand D. A sufficient number of these strands D to evenly cover the central hollow core,B,are then firmly and evenly wound around the hollow core B by means of machinery 'constructed for that purpose, which machinery gives each of the strands D a reverse twist while they are being wound around the central core, B. The reverse twist mentioned causes the completed conductor to retain the twist perfectly, and to thereby retain its form.

I am aware that a lightningrod composed of solid iron wires covered with copper and wound or twisted together has been invented which, however, if made of sufficient size to be a good lightning-conductor, is so heavy and unwieldy as to render it impracticable to use as a lightning conductor, and I make no claim thereto. A lightningrod consisting of hollow copper wires wound or twisted together has also been invented. This rod will not retain the twist, and is not strong enough for alightning-conductor, asitis easily broken, and I make no claim to that form herein. Furthermore, a lightningrod composed of hollow zinc wires covered with copper and wound or twisted together was patented on June 28, 1881, by myself, and is open to some of the objections above named, and I make no claim thereto in this application.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

. 1. .The combination, with the hollow core, ofthe strands formed of hollow wires, around which a number of small soft wires are twistedand incased in a covering of copper, substantially asspecied.

2. The combination, with a hollow core lined and covered with copper, of the strands formed of hollow wires, around which are twisted a number of small soft wires and incased in a covering of copper, said strands being twisted around the core, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. SGHOONMAKER.

Witnesses:

THoMAs WRIGHT, JosErn A. HERMAN. 

